Making a Difference - Canada

Are you familiar with the Making a Difference (MAD) Project? This exciting, innovative project was undertaken jointly with Making a Difference Canada. The stated purpose of the project is to "Make a Difference" by challenging the legal process in both the U.S. and Canada to more effectively prosecute sexual offenders. It is clear based on existing research that the criminal justice systems in the U.S. and Canada -- as in other countries -- are less likely to prosecute incidents of sexual assault if they do not resemble the stereotype of “real rape.”  In other words, if they do not involve a stranger with a weapon, severe physical violence, and victim injuries. 

The "Making a Difference" project was designed to address this problem, by facilitating reform in the U.S. and Canadian legal systems -- to challenge the status quo and more effectively prosecute adult and adolescent sexual assaults. 

Our partnership with Making a Difference Canada has extended beyond the completion of the MAD project, and we’d like to use this blog to highlight some of their work.

·         Making a Difference Canada spans 7 communities: Calgary & Edmonton, Alberta; Victoria, British Columbia; Halifax-Antigonish, Nova Scotia; Niagara Region, Ontario; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; and Whitehouse, Yukon. 

·         In collaboration with the Voices & Faces Project, the MAD Community in Edmonton hosted an event in June entitled, “We Are the Stories We Tell: A Testimonial Writing Workshop for Survivors of Sexual Violence, Domestic Violence and Trafficking.”

·         The MAD Community in Edmonton launched a poster campaign titled: “Don’t be that Guy”, which was then replicated in Halifax as part of their Sexual Assault Awareness Month activities in 2012.

·         The MAD Community in Halifax launched a new video campaign titled “Be More Than a Bystander” as part of their Sexual Assault Awareness Month activities in May (one month later than SAAM is held in the U.S.).

·         Making a Difference Canada also has a couple of webinars coming up:

o   “Working with Culturally Diverse Communities” on September 6^th at 1pm ET.

o   “Sexual Assault:  Integrating Investigation and Forensic Medical Examinations for Best Outcomes in Court” on September 21^st at 1pm ET.

 
Making a Difference Canada is also showcasing a game, developed by METRAC (Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children), titled: Play the Game; Sexual Assault, What it is. It is a new digital game challenging sexual violence against young people. Try it out!